Wheat acreage in MP likely to shrink this rabi season

Presence of moisture in low level areas, prolonged recession in monsoon, high temperature in November month have affected sowing

Wheat acreage in Madhya Pradesh is likely to shrink this season as overall rabi sowing has been reported low as against the last years'. Experts and agriculture department officials have said presence of moisture in low level areas, prolonged recession in monsoon and high temperature in November month are some factors that have affected sowing.

Against the total targeted rabi acreage of 11.76 million hectare so far the sowing has been reported on an area of 3 million hectare which was 5.2 million hectare last year.

As regards wheat, sowing has been reported on an area of 816,000 hectare against 1.52 million hectare last year so far. The government has estimated wheat acreage at 6 million hectare against 5.8 million hectare of the previous year.

"Warm moisture presence at low level fields, prolonged dry spell of rains have delayed rabi season sowing. We fear that wheat and mustard crop acreage will be less than what it was during the last year. Sowing season for mustard is now fading," Rajesh Rajora, principal secretary, department of farmers' welfare and agriculture said.

Madhya Pradesh has reported record production of wheat during the past few years and it has a significant contribution to the state's agriculture growth which was reported 24.99% (including allied activities).

The mustard acreage is projected at 850,000 hectare but it has been sown on an area of 488,000 hectares against 624,000 hectare of the previous year.

Similarly gram (Chana) acreage, which has been targeted at 3.6 million hectare this rabi season, has been sown on area of 1.21 million hectare so far. The sowing area was 2.22 million hectare last year during the corresponding period. Madhya Pradesh is the largest chana producer in India with normal average acreage of 2.6 million hectare.

This year the total pulse acreage is targeted at 4.6 million hectare against 4.3 million hectare of the previous year.

"High atmospheric temperature is the prime reason for farmers to skip crops like wheat. But they are switching over to those horticulture crops; like garlic, chili and coriander, which give more return," N S Sipani, an agriculture expert who runs his agriculture research firm in Mandsaur. Total rabi acreage is expected to reach at 11.7 million hectare against 11.2 million hectare this year.